diff --git a/website/source/intro/getting-started/setup.html.markdown b/website/source/intro/getting-started/setup.html.markdown new file mode 100644 index 000000000..90c029781 --- /dev/null +++ b/website/source/intro/getting-started/setup.html.markdown @@ -0,0 +1,55 @@ +--- +layout: "intro" +page_title: "Install Packer" +prev_url: "/intro/platforms.html" +next_url: "/intro/getting-started/build-image.html" +next_title: "Build an Image" +--- + +# Install Packer + +Packer must first be installed on the machine you want to run it on. +To make installation easy, Packer is distributed as a [binary package](#) +for all supported platforms and architectures. This page will not cover how +to compile Packer from source, as that is covered in the +[README](https://github.com/mitchellh/packer/blob/master/README.md) and is only +recommended for advanced users. + +## Installing Packer + +To install packer, first find the [appropriate package](#) +for your system and download it. Packer is packaged as a "zip" file. + +Next, unzip the downloaded package into a directory where Packer will be +installed. On Unix systems, `~/packer` or `/usr/local/packer` is generally good, +depending on whether you want to restrict the install to just your user +or install it system-wide. On Windows systems, you can put it whereever you'd +like. + +After unzipping the package, the directory should contain a set of binary +programs, such as `packer`, `packer-build-amazon-ebs`, etc. The final step +to installation is to make sure the directory you installed Packer to +is on the PATH. See [this page](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14637979/how-to-permanently-set-path-on-linux) +for instructions on setting the PATH on Linux and Mac. +[This page](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1618280/where-can-i-set-path-to-make-exe-on-windows) +contains instructions for setting the PATH on Windows. + +## Verifying the Installation + +After installing Packer, verify the installation worked by opening +a new command prompt or console, and checking that `packer` is available: + +``` +$ packer +usage: packer [--version] [--help] [] + +Available commands are: + build build image(s) from template + validate check that a template is valid +``` + +If you get an error that `packer` could not be found, then your PATH +environmental variable was not setup properly. Please go back and ensure +that yoru PATH variable contains the directory which has Packer installed. + +Otherwise, Packer is installed and you're ready to go!